It’s always a pleasure to go out for a night of soulful, (mostly) acoustic music when it seems that many are swamped by the electronic. Never mind the knowledge that attending a sideshow (this one for Splendour In The Grass) means that you get up close and personal to the act with the time and space to fully appreciate.
It was clear that most of the audience who went to see Whitley were there solely for his headliner slot but a good portion filled the room for the support acts as well. First up Post Paint (indie-electronic band with members split between Sydney and Newcastle) put on an energetic show. Frontman Bligh took the time to explain what each song was about (“not being able to sleep”, “heartbreak”) and switched among instruments (including an sparkling blue guitar). He said that Post Paint hoped to be something of Arcade Fire.
Next, Esther Holt (often endowed with the title of “indie darling”) followed, heading up a group of five with a more serious mood. At first she seemed low and quiet but after a few songs opened up and showed off her voice. Staring out into the audience forlornly she seemed absorbed in the music. There was banjo, tambourine, guitar and what began with a folk feel developed into an acoustic cover of The Presets’ “This Boy’s in Love” (an audience-pleaser).
When Whitley finally arrived he was welcomed with much applause, clearly long-term fans that had been on the scene since his musical hiatus were keen to see him perform. He harnesses emotion and sincerity while remaining completely down-to-earth on stage. From “I’ve only written three albums, what would I know about sound-checking?” to “I actually can’t afford to throw my jacket off stage”, Whitley had his audience members laughing in between the songs of heartbreak and regret.
All of which meant that we weren’t weighed down by his sad songs but absorbed in the heavenly sounds from “My Heart is Not A Machine” to earlier tracks “Lost in Time” and “I Remember”. In fact Whitley returned to much of his older material, acknowledging that fact even though technically he was on tour for his new album Even the Stars Are A Mess. It was “More Than Life” which got the biggest response.
Honestly I didn’t expect him to have such a good sense of humour. At one point he roused his bass player to improve the Ren & Stimpy and Seinfeld TV theme songs just after creating a song to the “guy who won’t shut up” in the audience. Despite his self-deprecatory stage presence (“I’m awful at concerts”), Whitley held the room in awe and cast serenity over the audience that I’m sure most people walked away with a warm sort of buzz.
Photos provided by Antigone Anagnostellis.
